Pretty Little Liars
by brainyravenclaw5
Summary: Life couldn't be more perfect for Hermione, Luna and Ginny. That is, until they met Astoria Greengrass, who seemed to have dirt on each and every one of them. But soon, someone might come along to beat Astoria at her own game.
1. Prologue

"I'm so glad Mum and Dad let you guys come over," Hermione Granger giggled to her best girl friends, Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley. Harry Potter and Ron Weasley were great, but sometimes she just needed a little bit of girl time.

Ginny passed a bowl of pretzels to Luna, before scooping a handful of popcorn out of a similar bowl. Hermione munched on pizza. The girls giggled about boys, as a nice romantic comedy played on the TV.

"Isn't Harry dreamy?" Ginny asked, sighing as she stared at the ceiling. Thunder crashed outside, and Luna began bouncing up and down on Hermione's bed.

"Not really," the blonde said. "Only if you like... that type."

Hermione looked at Luna before taking a gulp of cream soda. "What exactly is your type?" she asked.

"I like guys who are dreamier; who actually see instead of just looking."

Ginny rolled her eyes and swung a large pillow at Luna, knocking the Ravenclaw off the bed."He is so cute!"

The girls laughed again, and Hermione turned up the volume on her television, silently telling her friends to be quiet.

"This is the best part! Shush!"

Or not so silently.

"Aww! That is the sweetest thing in the world!" Hermione gushed, smiling. If only real life could be that romantic.

Luna smiled dreamily to herself.

In the shadows, a young girl sat, watching the trio of friends laugh and joke around. She gave a low growl, raising the binoculars to her eyes once again.

Astoria Greengrass was confused. She had been watching Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley, and Luna Lovegood all year, and still couldn't figure out what made them so popular, why the male population of Hogwarts adored them so.

It was obvious for the girl Weasley. After spying on Ginny for a week, Astoria understood. It was the way she dressed, walked, spoke, and ate, that left the boys crawling at the heels of her high-heeled stilettos.

Granger obviously mooched off Potter's popularity, but what about Loony Lovegood? Who on Earth would be attracted to her? This thought made Astoria chuckle. Her last question was answered in one of Luna's secrets, which would be used to blackmail her.

Evil chills went up Astoria's arms, and she smiled to herself. This was going to be fun.


	2. Secrets

**A/N: Okay, first some notes. **

**1. This is not really BASED on PLL, it just has the same idea.**

**2. The person blackmailing them is not going to be a secret.**

**3. There will be killing, so if you don't like that:**

**a). Too bad.**

**b). Why are you reading Harry Potter OR PLL?**

**Now for the disclaimer. I don't own Harry Potter or Pretty Little Liars. I think you all know who does.**

**Finally, read and review!**

Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy cuddled and held hands as they sat in the room of requirement. It was the only place they could, you see, because if the secret of their relationship got out, it would be the end of the Malfoys as they knew them.

The year Draco was born, the Parkinson family had a little baby girl, named Pansy. Mr. and Mrs. Parkinson, like the Malfoys, wanted to ensure that their child's spouse came from noble stock, so a marriage was arranged.

When Draco and Pansy were both twenty-one, they would be wed, and everyone would be happy.

Except Draco.

He didn't love Pansy. She was an okay friend, but, he loved Luna. Yes, you heard him correctly. He loved her.

Draco didn't just fancy her, or like her a lot, he was in love with the girl most people considered crazy.

But it hurt, to have act mean to Luna, in front of his friends. Draco pulled her closer to him, and kissed the top of her head.

"Love, I have to go to Quidditch practice. Do you want to come back after dinner?" Draco asked, standing up.

Luna nodded. "I'd like that Draco. Have fun at practice."

As they got up to leave, Luna heard a tap at the window. Outside, sat a tawny owl, striking the window repeatedly with its beak.

Luna opened the pane to let the bird in, and took the letter attached. Luna did not recognize the penmanship.

_Wouldn't it be terrible if Pansy found out who her fiancé is dating? No where in the song does it say we snakes can keep secrets..._

_-A_

Luna looked around the room, half-expecting to find someone in a hidden alcove. When she didn't, Luna bit her lip nervously, tightly gripping the butterbeer cork necklace clasped around her neck.

Draco had already left, so he probably didn't see the owl. Luna released it out of the window, and watched it fly away.

Then she began to assess the situation at hand. Someone was blackmailing her; someone who knew about her and Draco dating. Luna reread the letter and smiled.

She knew it was a Slytherin, because it said 'we snakes.' That was another clue. Luna stuffed the letter deep into her pocket, then started down to the dungeons.

She had some detective work to do.

Hermione Granger loved the library. It was her home away from home, and it was necessary that she spent as much time in the library as possible.

She didn't want a repeat of her first year. It was the year before she met Ron and Harry, before the business with the sorcerer's stone, they year 1990.

It was the year Hermione Puckle attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and she didn't care.

Hermione Puckle was careless, and only studied if someone forced her. The trolls piles up , and the dreadfuls added up as well. And then, Hermione Puckle got the letter.

The letter that said she had failed her first year, and could repeat it if she desired. But Hermione Puckle was embarrassed. What would her friends say?

So Professor Dumbledore gave her another option, which Hermione Puckle quickly accepted.

'Hermione Puckle' moved to Bulgaria, and Hermione Granger attended Hogwarts in her place, entering first year.

Although no one knew about her secret failure, Hermione's greatest fear was that she would fail again, and be humiliated.

So, she studied as hard as she could, in hopes that Hermione Puckle would forever be in her past.

The secret was buried, and Hermione had buried herself in the library, studying. She saw other students, and didn't think anything of it when she saw a piece of paper on the floor. At least not until she saw her name.

Kind of.

The note was addressed to Hermione P, and she knew what the P stood for. Cautiously, the Gryffindor read the letter.

_How's seventh year going? Wait, you're only in six year. Does everyone know why? How would it seem if 'the smartest witch of her generation' wasn't so smart after all?_

_-A_

Hermione swallowed harshly, and glanced around the library. Who sent her this letter? A Slytherin girl she didn't recognize winked at Hermione, stood up and left the library. Was the wink her way of saying it was her? Hermione wondered.

Sighing, Hermione stuffed the note in her bag, and left the library.

She had a lot of thinking to do.

Ginny Weasley was upset. She clenched a piece of parchment in her hand angrily, as she yelled at the fourth year girl in front of her. The Weasley girl's bright red hair was rivaled by her face, red from anger.

"I'm going to ask you again, Astoria. How did you come across my birth certificate?" Ginny cried.

Astoria Greengrass smiled wickedly at her schoolmate.

"I have my ways, Weasley. What, are you afraid of what will happen if someone finds out that you're nothing but a filthy mudblood?" she asked sweetly.

Ginny reached out and slapped the Slytherin. "Tell me! Or I'll enlarge your bogies and make them fly around your head!"

"I don't think you're in any position to be threatening me, Ginevra Weasley. Or whatever your real last name is. You know, the one your muggle parents gave you!"

Ginny swallowed, but she couldn't get rid of the lump in her throat.

When her parents (Molly and Arthur) had first gotten married, they had wanted a baby girl very badly, so they tried. And Bill was born. They tried again. Charlie. They kept trying, and Percy, Fred, George, and Ron were born. Still no baby girl.

Molly and Arthur decided to adopt a muggle girl, ready to pretend Ginevra was a squib. They were overjoyed when she showed signs of magical powers.

But that didn't stop the fact that Ginny was a muggleborn. The Weasleys were not pro-pureblood, but it might cause problems if people knew the youngest Weasley's blood status.

So Ginny silently lowered the hand that, just moments before, had been prepared to once again, slap Astoria.

The fourth year Slytherin smiled evilly at Ginny, who shuddered.

"There's a good mud blood. Now, here's what I want you to do."


	3. Discoveries

**I don't own the wonderful Harry Potter.**

Ginny looked around nervously, not believing her location. Who would have thought instead of watching the Quidditch game, she be in the Slytherin boys' dorm, sifting through Draco Malfoy's trunk?

She gingerly picked up a pair of boxers and moved them to the side, shuddering. Ew, thought Ginny. Malfoy germs,

Soon, she found the tiny book she had been looking for, and stuffed it in her pocket, turning to leave.

"Why does Astoria want this book?" Ginny wondered aloud. She opened to the first page and began to read.

"September 1st, 1996. Today Luna and I snuck down to the lake after dinner. She borrowed Potter's invisibility cloak, so no one saw us, but I feel bad for hiding our relationship, but it would cause problems for both of us. I suppose telling Potter might have been a really bad idea, but we needed to use his invisibility cloak. And of course he gave me the, 'If-you-hurt-her-I-will-kill-you' pep talk."

Ginny stared open mouthed at the book, which had just revealed a HUGE secret. Who knew Luna was dating the ferret. This meant Luna was included in Draco's secret.

Ginny felt bad about handing the book to Astoria, but in the world of secrets, it was dog-eat-dog.

So without another thought, Ginny grabbed the book and walked out of the dorm and the dungeons. By the time she had arrived at Gryffindor tower, she knew all about Luna's relationship with Draco. It was like reading an engrossing novel, she eagerly turned the pages, waiting for more.

Ginny figured she had about an hour to read, before Astoria got back from the Slytherin-Gryffindor Quidditch match.

So she curled up in an armchair in the common room, and read on.

DMLL

_**December 25, 1994**_

_**Luna hummed to herself as she sat patiently waiting for Cho Chang to finish curling her blonde tresses.**_

_**The Asian girl had offered to do Luna's hair, because she wanted to test the style on someone else first, and Luna had agreed because she wanted her hair styles special for the Yule Ball anyway.**_

_**In most cases, a third year, like Luna, wouldn't be able to go to the ball- unless accompanying an older student.**_

_**Luna giggled to herself when she thought about her date.**_

_**"Keep still," Cho ordered. She was using her wand (under a heating spell) as a curling iron, and didn't want to burn the girl. That wouldn't end well.**_

_**Luna complied. "Who's your date?" Luna asked, looking up slightly.**_

_**"Cedric Diggory," Cho answered, smiling dreamily. "I really like him. One day I'm going to marry Cedric!" In her reverie, she burned Luna's scalp.**_

_**"Ouch!"**_

_**DMLL**_

_**Music filled Luna's ears, as she danced with her date. Luna imagined the pleasure in his storm gray eyes as his half-mask partially obstructed them from view.**_

_**No, it was not a masquerade ball, but Draco and Luna wore masks anyway, because of his engagement to Pansy. While the latter was in the bathroom, powdering her nose, her fiancé whirled around the dance floor with his secret girlfriend.**_

_**"This is nice," Luna whispered, smiling up at Draco. The smile made his heart clench. He cursed his weak spot.**_

_**"I know," Draco said. He leaned down to kiss Luna softly, regretting the moment when he had to pull away and return to Pansy.**_

_**Luna smiled again as he twirled her, humming along to the music.**_

_**"I see Pansy."**_

_**Draco swore, grabbed Luna's hand, and pulled her outside onto the balcony that had been transfigured for the night, for couples to talk privately.**_

_**Not a lot of talking was done.**_

_**Draco reached into his pocket and pulled out a black box.**_

_**"Luna, this past year, all I could think about was you. When you said you'd be my girlfriend, I was so happy, I almost cried," he said, blushing on the last part.**_

_**"I-I have and idea. When I get out of school, my father has promised me a job in the ministry, and he says I don't have to marry Pansy until I'm twenty-five.**_

_**"I'll save up enough money, so that when I'm twenty-five, I'll be able to refuse to marry Pansy and we'll be well enough off that it won't matter if my parents cut me off, and we can get married," he finished.**_

_**Draco opened the box. Inside, sat a simple silver ring, engraved with a picture of a moon and a dragon.**_

_**"The moon is you, because Luna means 'moon' in Latin, and the dragon is me because Draco means 'dragon' in Latin."**_

_**He slipped the ring on her slender finger, giving her a kiss.**_

_**The door to the balcony opened, and Pansy stood there, scanning the balcony for her fiancé. Her eyes narrowed as they fell on Draco, who swallowed.**_

_**"Oy! Have you seen Malfoy?"**_

_**He shook his head vigorously, grabbing Luna's hand and pulling her back into the Great Hall. The Ravenclaw knew that he would have to go back to Pansy, and bid him good night, leaving the ball.**_

_**The entire way to Ravenclaw Tower, she stared at her finger.**_

_**DMLL**_

Ginny smiled at the book. "Aw, that's so sweet!" she said, thinking that Malfoy must have a secret romantic side.

"That was the Yule Ball, so they've been dating for about three years!"

She turned the page. Over in the fireplace, the Floo flared up. Ginny glanced over, expecting to see a person emerge.

Instead a letter appeared. Miss G. Weasley, it read.

Ginny sighed. What did Astoria want now? She opened it quickly.

_Didn't anyone ever tell you it's bad to snoop? I think you need to be punished. Good thing I've found another secret of yours._

_-A_

Enclosed in the envelope was a picture, one she remembered quite clearly. It was the previous Quidditch match, Gryffindor-Hufflepuff. Harry had asked Ginny to get his water bottle, and soon after, he had kissed her.

Or so it seemed.

The reality was, Ginny had slipped Amortentia into the bottle, causing Harry to think he had fallen in love with her.

Every so often, she would replenish it, waiting as long as possible because love potions mature with age.

It felt good, to have the Golden Boy wrapped around her little finger.

But now...

Somehow Astoria knew. This was bad. Ginny stared at the picture. In the left hand corner were two initials.

**CC.**


	4. Lavender

_**Hermione sits on her bed, thinking as she reads the latest letter from Astoria. After a moment, her face clouds over and she balls up the parchment, hurling it across the wall with a primal screech of anger.**_

_**Lavender Brown looks up from her spot on her bed, where she is hard at work. That is, if you consider painting your toenails 'Perfectly Plum' while flipping through the latest edition of Witch Weekly, work.**_

_**"Something wrong Granger?"**_

_**Hermione flicks her glance to the wastebasket, where the paper was nestled comfortably between a couple of Lavender's old love letters from Seamus, and one of Parvati's coupons that advertised 50% off any Honeydukes sweets as long as she joined their 'Candy of the Month Club.' **_

_**Lavender expertly navigates her way through the room to the wastebasket (without messing up her toes) and plucks the letter from the can, reading quickly.**_

_**She shoots Hermione an apologetic glance, and embraces her roommate in a hug. "How long has this... snake been blackmailing you?" Lavender asks.**_

_**"About a month."**_

_**Thinking hard, the normally airheaded girl flops down on the bed again. She brushes the magazine and nail polish away with a flick of her wand.**_

_**"Sit down," Lavender says, patting the space next to her. "The way to get even with a Slytherin, is to play dirty like a Slytherin." She gives a smirk to rival Malfoy's.**_

_**Hermione is instantly nervous for her friend. "I don't think you should get involved. Astoria was very clear that we shouldn't tell anyone about this because-"**_

_**"We?"**_

_**Lavender raises her eyebrows, willing Hermione to tell her who else is involved in this. "Luna and Ginny," Hermione answers breathlessly. She instantly feels weight being lifted off her chest, but it comes back.**_

_**"So what exactly is she blackmailing you with?" Hermione notices that Lavender has gone back to Witch Weekly, and doesn't respond, in hopes that gossip will distract the girl.**_

_**No such luck.**_

_**"You have to have dirt on the person, that's how blackmailing works," Lavender says, looking up at Hermione. "So what's Astoria got on you, Granger?"**_

_**Hermione tells her.**_

_**"Really? I didn't even think it was possibly to fail a year at Hogwarts, let alone for Hermione Granger."**_

_**Hermione shoots Lavender a death look. "For your information, Hermione Granger has never failed. Hermione Puckle, on the other hand..." Hermione's voice trails off.**_

_**"Just promise me you won't say anything," she orders.**_

_**Silence.**_

_**"Lavender! Promise me you won't mention this to anyone!"**_

_**No sound except the pages of Witch Weekly flipping absently.**_

_**"Promise!"**_

_**Lavender scowls and slides off the bed. She tosses her long hair over her shoulder, and waddles in the direction of the bathroom, without getting her nails smudged. "Fine, I promise."**_

_**Then she shuts the lavatory door behind her. Once Lavender is out of Hermione's earshot, she smirks.**_

_**"I promise to talk to a certain third-year Slytherin. After all, what could possibly go wrong?"**_

Astoria tapped her wand menacingly against her thigh, glaring coldly at her adversary. "I'm sure Granger told you not to meddle," she said, staring Lavender down.

The sixth year glanced at the third year, who was a good two heads shorter than her. But the glint in Astoria's eyes was what scared Lavender. The look said that Astoria would kill Lavender with just two words, and think about it later.

"She did."

Astoria gave a little girl giggle, and twirled her wand. She studied Lavender, as if thinking of the best way to dissect her, which she might have been.

"I'm not going to 'avada' you," Astoria said dismissively. "To many tracks to cover, if you use an unforgivable."

This made Lavender even more fidgety. Astoria was going to kill her?

As if in reply to her question, Astoria wordlessly transfigured a nearby stick into an axe. She waved it at Lavender.

The latter began to pray. Lavender had never been the religious type, but she prayed to every deity she could think of.

'Please don't let her kill me, please don't let her kill me, please don't let her-'

The axe connected with her skull and everything went dark.

Astoria smiled smugly to herself, admiring her handiwork. Lavender's eyes were still open, her mouth hanging slack, and her arms and legs at odd angles.

The Slytherin spat on Lavender's lifeless body, added a kick for good measure, and sauntered away.

She had a letter to write.

The next day at breakfast, Professor Dumbledore stood up to make an announcement.

"Last night, six-year Gryffindor Lavender Brown was found murdered by the lake. There was an axe lodged in her head."

A hush fell over the Great Hall. Everyone stared at each other, confused. How could she be dead?

Hermione stood up so fast, her knees banged against the table. She could feel the bile creeping up her throat. She left the Great quickly running to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Hermione began to vomit loudly into a toilet, coughing and spluttering.

Ginny and Luna were on her heels, and Ginny held Hermione's hair up while she emptied her stomach, and Luna stood guard at the door, keeping people out.

When she finished, Hermione laid her head on the cool porcelain.

"What happened?" Ginny asked. She looked concerned as she felt her friend's forehead anxiously.

Hermione started crying. "It's my fault. I told Lavender what h-happened, and she went after Astoria, and Astoria killed Lavender because she knew t-too much!"


	5. Ron

Lavender's death had everyone on edge. For a time, Lavender's best friend, Parvati Patil, stopped eating and coming to classes, or at least that's what her twin sister Padma Patil told Luna.

Many students were afraid to walk the halls alone, and it seemed like a repeat of the basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets. Only Astoria, Ginny, Hermione, and Luna knew the truth, and the latter three walked in a group anyway, lest Astoria try to strike.

After a few weeks, the scared jumpiness subsided, and things at Hogwarts returned to normal. Or as normal as possible in a magic school.

Astoria had decided to keep her head down, and the girls had not received letters from 'A' recently, which could be classified as a pro of Lavender's death. It was thoughts like these that let the remaining clenches of guilt eat away at their insides.

Hermione was probably the most upset by Lavender's death, because had she not told the girl her secret, Astoria wouldn't have brutally murdered her.

Christmas was just around the corner, and Ron and Hermione were on prefect duty. Hermione seemed spacey and distracted. Ron remembered Harry mentioning that Ginny had been the same way, and wondered what was happening.

"Mione, what's wrong?"

Hermione sighed and stared at her redheaded friend. "First of all, my name's HERmione, secondly, nothing is wrong."

Rolling his eyes at her corrections, Ron stopped walking, causing Hermione to bump into him harshly.

"Come on," Hermione said. She grabbed Ron's arm and dragged him away, down the hall. The pair passed Draco Malfoy in the corridor, near the portrait of Barnabas the Barmy, looking lonesome.

"Hello, Hermione. Weasley." Draco beamed at Hermione, but gave Ron a curt nod in greeting, making the redhead jealous.

"Hello Draco," answered Hermione, stopping to talk. Upon Luna's request, Draco had become nice to both Hermione and Ginny. However, his kindness did not extend to Ron.

Ron may have found it strange that Draco was standing alone outside the Room of Requirement, but Hermione obviously did not. Ron watched on as the pair chatted away like old friends.

"How'd it go today?"

"Well, we haven't been caught yet, so..." Draco shrugged nonchalantly. He jerked his head in the direction of the room, silently alerting Hermione that Luna was inside, preparing to leave.

Hermione nodded. She understood. Ron, on the other hand, did not.

"What is going on! What are you two barmy bats talking about?"

Before Hermione could respond, Draco tapped the tapestry. "We're not barmy, he is," the boy replied smugly, gesturing to the portrayed picture of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls ballet.

Ron seethed. "Are you two dating or something?"

The pair exchanged looks. Then they burst into simultaneous laughter, as if this were the funniest thing in the world. It didn't help that Draco's real girlfriend was within earshot- on the other side of a wall.

"No," Hermione spluttered between breaths, continuing to giggle. Draco let out a snort, which only sent him and Hermione into more peaks of laughter.

Ron stormed off angrily. He would get his revenge on both Hermione and Draco. How dare they date, when Ron had liked Hermione since the Yule Ball!

His anger made him open to control, and that's why Astoria sought him out.

Click!

Luna was mad. Eloise Midgen and Mandy Brocklehurst had been giggling over a paper at breakfast.

Originally, she thought it was the Daily Prophet, or even the Quibbler, but it was a different publication.

In big letters, spelled across the top was, 'The Hogwarts Herald!'

The front page had a picture of Hermione and Draco, laughing at some private joke only they knew.

Picture-Hermione put her hand on Picture-Draco's arm, laughing harder. Luna felt a hard lump in her throat.

Were Hermione and Draco dating? It seemed a cruel twist of fate that Draco would cheat on her with Hermione, at the same time he was cheating on Pansy with Luna.

The latter stood up and ran away from the Great Hall, in tears.

"Alright," Astoria announced to the two Gryffindor boys in front of her. "The new paper looks great, Weasley."

Ron sent Colin Creevey a smirk. Even though he was new to the 'A-Team,' as Astoria called it, he was already being praised.

Astoria wasn't done. "And Colin, that picture you took of Granger and Malfoy looks like their dating. I believe Malfoy is going to have quite a few angry girls on his hands."

That was the part Ron didn't understand. If Malfoy wasn't dating Hermione, then why we're they so buddy-buddy all of a sudden? Who were the angry girls? Pansy was one, obviously, but who was the other? Was Malfoy dating Ginny?

Colin and Astoria both looked at Ron, whose brow was furrowed in thought. "The less you know, the better."

"But Colin knows everything!"

Astoria's eyes held a nasty gleam, and Ron regretted his statement. "Who I choose to tell is my business. Now, if you know what's good for you, you'll do as you're told!"

Ron gulped, nodded furiously. Inside, he was upset that he was taking orders from a third year.

"And Weasley?"

"Yes, Astoria?" Ron asked, snapping out of his reverie.

Astoria sent him a wicked smile. "I'd like to remind you that I am no ordinary third year, but if you tire of taking orders from me, you could join Lavender."

Ron's eyes grew wide as saucers, as Astoria stuck her wand under his chin. "The choice is yours," she said.

Then she leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Always remember, Weasley. Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead."

Astoria smirked again and sauntered away from the library. She turned around just as quickly, scowling.

"Colin! Follow!" She snapped her fingers, and the mousy-haired boy followed the Slytherin, in a daze.

Ron was left alone with his thoughts. He touched the place Astoria had jabbed him with her wand and murmured, "Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead..."


	6. The Diary

**A/N: I haven't made a disclaimer in a while, so I figured I'd remind you that I don't own Harry Potter, just in case you'd forgotten. I don't own Harry Potter.**

When Harry Potter was younger, he had been abused; verbally and physically. Harry never had friends before coming to Hogwarts, and that's what made Ron and Hermione so special to him.

But lately, Hermione had been inseparable from Ginny and Luna, and Ron was always in the company of Colin Creevey. Anytime he tried to get them to study with him, or play Wizard's Chess, he was always greeted with the same response.

"Not now, Harry! I'm busy!"

So Harry sought friendship from elsewhere. He began a better friendship with Neville Longbottom and Susan Abbot. The pair could always be found in the greenhouses, but they always ready to lend Harry a listening ear when he needed one.

"Han, can you pass me the gurdyroot?" Neville asked. Hannah handed him the plant, and continued potting her mandrake (the three of them all wore earmuffs).

Harry sat awkwardly, chin in his hands, watching his new friends. They never talked much, but there was no need for words. Hannah and Neville had a special bond, one fueled by their mutual love of plants.

When they finished the plant they were working on, Hannah and Neville would stare at each other, having a silent conversation. Then they would both look away, picking up more plants to attend to.

Harry always wished he had someone like that, someone who knew what he was saying without words.

The raven-haired boy was so lost in thought, he didn't notice Neville and Hannah having another silent exchange.

Eventually Neville spoke. "Harry? Han wants to know what happened between you, Ron and Hermione."

"I don't know," Harry sighed. "Last year we were so close when we were running the DA, and something changed this year. They found other friends, and so did I!" He beamed at Hannah and Neville.

This made the blonde girl smile as well. "Thanks, Harry. You know what? You can come to my house on Christmas for a holiday party, if you'd like."

Neville nodded his approval. "It's so much fun. Her older brother always takes us out Christmas caroling after."

Harry's grin widened. He didn't care that he always spent the holidays at he Burrow. He had other friends now.

If Ron and Hermione wanted to ignore him, three could play that game.

"Imperio!"

Parvati instantly relaxed, the expression of fear leaving her face. Ron smirked at Colin, who had his arms crossed, unimpressed. Ever since joining the 'A-team,' Ron's friends and family had noticed a change in his behavior. He had become more reserved, even rude. It was clear power had gone to Ron's head.

The redhead turned back to the Indian girl, who looked confused at her whereabouts. "Tell me, Parvati, did Lavender have a diary?" Ron asked sweetly.

Parvati nodded blankly. "Yes. She kept all the school gossip inside."

Colin tapped his foot, becoming impatient at this point. "Where is the diary?" continued Ron anxiously.

"In the dorm. Her stuff is being shipped to her home in the States tomorrow," the girl droned, expressionless.

Ron jabbed his wand, strengthening the imperious curse. "Parvati, I want you to go get the diary and bring it down to me. Afterwards, you will lie down in you room and forget we ever talked."

Parvati turned and stumbled up the stair's towards the girls' dorm. Once she was gone, Colin turned to Ron.

"Why are you trying to get Lavender's diary?" Colin asked. He seemed very upset that Ron was doing something to get on Astoria's good side.

Ron laughed. "Lavender was the school's biggest gossip. Any secrets she knew, more than likely, are in that book."

At those words, Parvati returned, silently thrusting the diary out to Ron. Once he took it, she made her way up the stairs once more. A final smirk was sent in Colin's direction as the two boys began to walk to the library to find Astoria.

Luna sat, arms wrapped around her knees, in the Room of Requirement. The door opened silently.

Astoria pranced in, her thick dark hair in a plait down her back.

"I'm going to let you in on a little secret," Astoria whispered. She gave Luna a sly smile that made the blonde uncomfortable.

Luna moved away from Astoria, who continued, "My sources tell me that you've been putting the Draught of Living Death in Pansy's food, so you can have more Draco time."

The last sentence made Astoria grimace, as if 'Draco Time' was the most repulsive thing in the world.

Luna frowned, insulted. She flicked a glance over to Astoria, who was clutching a small slip of paper from the apothecary.

It was the receipt for the vial of Draught of Living Death.

"How do you think Pansy will react to you drugging her? How will Mr and Mrs Parkinson react?"

This made Luna angry. She stormed out of the Room of Requirement without even stopping to laugh at the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls ballet.

Astoria sat in the Room, lost in thought. She liked it when they ran. It made Astoria feel authoritative, like a huge game of... cat-and-mouse.

Sitting up straighter, Astoria began to flip through Lavender's diary, reading all the juicy secrets the girl knew.

Ginny did what? Hermione used to what? There was so much more ammunition in the book, and Astoria felt a buzzing feeling, like she felt on Christmas.

Soon, their reputations would be reduced to shreds, an it would be all Astoria's fault. A tiny tear trickled down her cheek.

"It makes you feel like you've done something with your life," Astoria sobbed, clutching her heart.

Then she stood, preparing to leave. She had much work to do.

But the first thing Astoria would need was Potter's invisibility cloak, and she knew just how to get it.

"Oh Ron!"

**A/N: Was Ron joining the 'A-team' too OOC? Should he come back to the light? Thoughts please, and flames will be used in a bonfire for a proper funeral for Lavender.**


End file.
